MOSES

From fugitive and failure to fearless leader
Ken Graydon



The story of Moses should give us great encouragement. This is a man who plumbs the very depths of despair and yet ascends the greatest heights in his dealings with ETERNAL, the kings and rulers of his time and the leadership of his nation.

Moses broke the rules and was dealt with but he had a unique relationship with ETERNAL which not only blessed him but enabled ETERNAL to lead His people to the covenant land.

Moses was a Levite from the family of Kohath, house of Amram [Exodus 6:18,20] and he was born during the Egyptian captivity at the time when male Hebrew children were to be killed at birth. Moses mother hid the child for three months until he could no longer be hidden and he was put into an ark of bulrushes, made waterproof by daubing it with bitumen and launched into the Nile.

Moses sister, Miriam, kept watch until an Egyptian princess [probably Bithiah, see 1 Chronicles 4:18]

rescued the child and then Miriam was able to offer to bring a Hebrew nurse to care for him. Moses was subsequently adopted by the princess into the ruling family of Egypt.

At this time Egypt was the most sophisticated culture in the region and Moses received an education to equip him for leadership of this people. We can see here how ETERNAL puts experiences into a life to equip that life for His later service. Moses learnt about the administration of justice, religious ritual, symbolism, literature, warfare, civil administration and wisdom.

However, Moses cannot escape the call of ETERNAL on his life. Moses sees an Egyptian overseer abusing a Hebrew and strikes the Egyptian, killing him. Moses hides the body. Soon after this Moses tries to stop an argument between two Hebrews and is appalled when one of them says to him, “are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” When Moses hears that Pharaoh is searching for him to execute him for killing the overseer he runs away to the land of Midian. So Moses has cast off his adopted Egyptian family and become a lone Hebrew in a strange land.

On his arrival in Midian, Moses helps the daughters of Jethro to water their flocks of sheep. This helpful act leads Moses to be introduced to Jethro who is a priest. The Midianites were descended from Abraham by his wife Keturah but their worship did not follow Abraham regarding circumcision as we shall see. Moses marries Zipporah [Exodus 2:21] who gave him two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses spent forty years as a shepherd with the Midianites. This is another ETERNAL directed time of preparation as Moses learns about desert life, its people, languages, roads and resources. Moses is also, perhaps unknown to him, learning to have a relationship with ETERNAL.

Moses sees a bush burning in the desert but the bush is not consumed. As he goes to have a closer look at this unique event Moses meets ETERNAL. [Exodus 3:1 to 4:19]. ETERNAL wants Moses to bring the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt to bring them to the covenant land. Moses tries every argument he can think of not to do this. ETERNAL modifies the plan to allow Aaron to be the spokesperson. Then ETERNAL reveals that although Moses has been gone for forty years, probably with no contact because he was a wanted man, Aaron has already started on a journey to meet him. This is no simple act – just a short walk, forty years later, just in case I bump into my brother – this is absolute obedience.

On the journey toward Egypt, at a night camp, ETERNAL punishes Moses for his lack of obedience in not circumcising his son. This lack of obedience means that Moses is not ready for the task ETERNAL has given him. Zipporah circumcises the boy and by this act saves Moses’ life. [Exodus 4:24-26]

Moses and Aaron repeatedly call on Pharaoh to release the Hebrews and each rejection brings upon Egypt the ten plagues in succession. After the final plague, the death of the firstborn, the Egyptians demand that the Hebrews leave. We then have another example of the forward planning of ETERNAL. He instructs the Hebrews to borrow valuables and a whole range of goods from the Egyptians knowing that the people borrowed from would die in the Reed Sea – there would be no-one to pay it back to. These materials would be used in the construction of the Tent of Meeting and would not otherwise be available in the wilderness.

At Sinai Moses is allowed into a deeper relationship with ETERNAL. All the people heard the voice of ETERNAL but Moses met with Him ‘face to face’ and spent two periods of forty days with ETERNAL. Moses stood between ETERNAL and the Hebrews at times when ETERNAL wanted to punish them for repeated disobedience.

Moses would meet with ETERNAL at the Tent of Meeting and a cloud would come down as the presence of ETERNAL manifested there.

During the second year of the exodus Moses married a Cushite woman. When Aaron and Miriam, who considered themselves as part of the management team, spoke out against Moses, Miriam was promptly dealt with by ETERNAL and it was only the immediate intervention of Moses that caused ETERNAL to relent and Miriam was saved from leprosy. Other challenges to Moses leadership were disposed of by ETERNAL with dramatic results [Numbers 12].

Moses and Aaron made a foolish mistake at Kadesh [Numbers 20]. The people had no water – and as they usually did they complained and looked to Moses to put the situation right. ETERNAL told Moses what to say but Moses and Aaron acting as if it was their ability struck the rock with the fateful words “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” This usurping of ETERNAL’s power brought about Aaron’s replacement as priest and his death. Moses was banned from going on to the covenant land.

Moses would lead the people to the very borders of the covenant land where he could see it but he had to put his house in order and pass on the leadership to Joshua whose obedience qualified him to be the leader of the people.

The story of Moses gives us comfort and inspiration. Throughout his life ETERNAL was making preparations for the next step of the journey. Moses made mistakes, as we all do, but he acted to make things right and we do not hear of him repeating mistakes. He went from runaway fugitive to leader of his people. Moses met with ETERNAL as a friend and although Moses thought he was not good enough, or talented enough, or experienced enough to serve ETERNAL he was generally obedient and other people were blessed because of him.

We need to look at our lives to see what steps of preparation ETERNAL has been quietly putting in place so that He can put in place our “burning bush” experience.



kennygee@bigpond.com